Connecting means for electric conductors



Sept. 22,1931. H. P. OBER 'CONNECTING MEANS FOR ELECTRIC QONDUCTORSFiled Oct. 22, 1927 TTORNEY Patented Sept. 22, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE HERMON P. OBER, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERALRAILWAY SIGNAL comm OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK CONNECTING MEANS FOR ELECTRICCONDUCTORS Application flled october 22, 1927. Serial No. 228,025.

This invention relates in general to terminal connecting means forelectricconductors and has more particular reference to a conduitoutletblock, and cap therefor, for making connection between parkwaycable or other conductor, and wires leading, for example, to trackrails, signals, switch boxes, etc., as used in railway'practice, or toany other desired means. 1

It is usual practice to run cable underground and bring it up to thesurface at the point where power is to be used by passing it up throughupright risers. This invention consists essentially in an insulatingblock which can be readily assembled on, and removed from, such a riseras it exists in the field, together with a protecting and holding cap.

Among the objects sought to be accomplished by this invention are, toproduce such a device which is simple, economical to make, easy toinstall and to take down, and extremely practical in use. 1

With the ordinary method of connection used in such cases, the apparatusassembled on the top of the riser is either a box or its equivalent, sothat the conduit space below such block is made practically inaccessibleor at least requires considerable time and effort who made accessible.With the present invention however, the terminal block can be readilyseparated from the riser a suflicient distance to permit inspection ofthe wires in the riser and the filling of the riser with sealingcompound, all without disconnecting the wires from the terminal block.

A further object of this inventionis to provide means forpreventing'flooding of up right risers by water and this is accomplishedby. so forming the cap as to have it extend sufliciently below the upperend of the riser to form an air seal against entrance of water into theriser in the event, for example, of the trackway being flooded.

Furtherobjects, purposes and characteristic features of this inventionwill appear as the description progresses, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings showing, solely by way of illustration, one formwhich taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 2 and viewed in the direction of thearrows.

Fig. 2 is an elevatlonal view, with parts shown in section and Fig. 3 isa detail view of the terminal block.

Referring to the drawings, at 1 is shown avertical riser of any usual ordesired form containing a cable 2, shown in the present instance ascomprised by two conducting wires 3 and 4..

The riser 1 has a portion cut away at one side of its upper end by meansof a vertical cut parallel to the axis of the riser forming a verticalface 5 and a transverse cut forming :1v face 6, to thereby cut out anintegral section of the riser. A transverse notch 7 is formed in theface 5, as shown in Fig. 2, the

notch having slightly rounded edges for facilitating assembling of theterminal block, as described below.

Formed to be set into the above described portion of the riser 1 is ablock indicated in its entirety by B. This block is formed ofcomposition board or any other suitable insulating. material. The blockcomprises a main face portion 8 of generally rectangular form, having aninwardly extending shelf portion 9 near its lower edge therein forreceiving binding posts 11, and having holes 12 formed in the faceportion 8 for accommodating outlet wires 3 and 4 Formed on the innersurface of the portion 8 is a rib 13 of a configuration to readily andaccurately set into the notches 7 formed in the riser 1, while extendingbelow the shelf portion 9 of the block B is a toe 14, as shown in dottedlines in Fig. 2.

The block B is assembled in the cut out portion in the riser 1, to takethe position shown in Fig. 2, with the rib 13 received in the notches 7,and the downwardly projecting toe 14bearing against the inner side ofthe so with aperture 10 riser below the transverse face 6 of the cut cutout portion of the riser, an effective air 'trackway.

so i

taugular configuration 17 to match the outer surface of the part 8 ofblock B, in the manner shown in Fig. 1 whereby the cap closely embracesthe block when in its assembled po- 1 sition to aid in holding the blockagainst movement. A bulged out portion 18 is formed on the cap foraccommodating the outlet wires, and the lower edge 19 of the cap extendsdownwardly, a short distance below the face 6 of thecut out portion ofriser,-

for a purpose explained below. 7

The wires 3 and 4 of cable 2 are attached to the binding post 11 carriedby block B, after having described an upwardly directed, long loop 20,as shown in Fig. 2, while the outlet wires 3 and 4 are attached to therespective binding posts 11 and pass out through the apertures 12 of theoutlet block and through the outwardly bulge portion 18 of cap 15. 1

The cable 2 can be sealed into the riser in the usual manner by'pouringa sealing com "pound into the riser so as to completely fill it to a.desired level, as indicated bydotted line 21,'to seal the wires :of thecable and prevent foreign matter from dropping down into the riser.

'VVith the construction described above it will beobvious that with theriser filled with sealing compound as indicated at 21, and

with the cap 15 having its lower edge 19 extending down below the loweredge of the sealis provided against entrance of water into the riser inthe event of flooding of the Thebloc k B is held in its assembledposition against movement in any direction by theca'p 15 embracing'theupper end thereof and by theinteraction'of the ribs 13 with the notches7 and of the downwardly projecting toe 14 and theinterior surface of theriser 1.

The block can move neither upwardly or downwardly, sidewise of the riser1, or out-' wardly thereof, when cap15 is in place.

For inspecting the wire connections, however, for filling the riser withsealing compound, or for any other desired purpose,easy access isattainable by merely loosing the set screw 16, removing the cap 1 5, andlifting outlet block B away from the riser 1. The

'long wire loop QO'formed by wires 3 and 4: permitiremoval' of theoutlet; block a considerable distance fromthe riser withoutnecessitating disconnecting the. wires therefrom. This 11117611131011thus provides 7 a simple 'form'of insulating block, readily assembled onand disconnected from, a riser, which can be easilyprepared forreceiving the block by merely taking out a small section thereof to forma receiving cut out portion, and permits ready inspection of the cablesplaced inside the riser andofthe'various wire connections,

"while atthe *sa'me'time' all parts are protect- 'ed against entry offoreign matter and are sealed against entry of water upon flooding ofthe trackway.

The above rather specific description of one form of this invention hasbeen given solely by way of example, and is not intended, in any mannerwhatsoever, in a limiting sense. Obviously, the invention can assumemany different physical forms, and is susceptible of numerousmodifications, and it is intended that'the present application cover allsuch forms and modifications as come within the scope of the app-endedclaims.

Having described my invention I now cl'aim":' V V y 1. In'cableconnecting. means, a hollow riser, a cut outpo-rtlon 1n one side of theriser, an outlet block of insulating material, loosely inserted intosaid cut out portion,-

means sealing the riser below the cut-out portion, and a cap fittingover the end of the means sealing the riser'below the cut-out portion, acap fitting over the end of the riser and bearingagai'nst the outletblock, the lower edge of the cap extending below the lower edge of saidcutout portion, and sealing compound closing the riser below-said outletblock, whereby to form an air seal against water entering the rlser. V

3. In cable connecting "means, a hollow y1indrica1 riser a straight edgeout out portion inone side of the riser, an outlet block of insulatingmaterial'ha'ving all its faces substantially'plane and loosely insertedinto said out out portion,"conductor connecting means carried by theblock,

and a cap fitting over the end of'the riser and bearing againstthe'outlet block.

4. "in connecting means for cable, 'a hollow riser, a cut out portion atthe upper end of theriser, an outlet 'block-looselyfitting into the outout portion and extending into, andlonly partway across, the'riser, anda cap removably fitting over the end of the riser and around the -block.V

the riser, an outlet block"loosely fit'tin-g'into the cut out portionand extending into, but only part way across, the riser, whereby toleave room in the riser for cable to run past the block, and acapremovably fittingover the'end ofthe riserf ud around the block,conductor connectlngineans carried bythe block, and a cable fastened'tosaid vconnecting means after it has described long loop,

whereby,'upon removal of said cap, said out Too o. In connectingmeansfor cable, a hollow riser, a 'cut' out portionat the upper end of Ilet block can be readily separated a eonsiderable distance from theriser without necessitating disconnecting cable therefrom.

6. In connecting means'for cable, a hollow riser, a portion cut out ofone side of the riser by a cut parallel with the axis of the riser and acuttransverse to such axis, a transverse notch cut out of the edgeformed by the said parallel cut, and a cable outlet block fitting intosaid cut out portion and having portions for fitting into saidtransverse notch.

7. In connecting means for cable, a hollow riser, a portion cut out ofone side of the riser by a cut parallel with the axis of the riser and acut transverse to such axis, a transverse notch cut out of the edgeformed by the said parallel cut, and a cable outlet block fitting intosuch cut out portion and having an inwardly extending part carryingconnecting means for attachment thereto of cable.

8. In connecting means for cable, a hollow riser,.a portion cut out ofone side of the riser by a cut parallel with the axis of the riser and acut transverse to such axis, a transverse notch cut out of the edgeformed by the said parallel cut, a cable outlet block fitting into suchcut out portion, a projecting rib on. the block fitting into saidtransverse notch, av depending toe extending below said transverse cutwhen the block is in position in the riser, and a cap removably fittingover the end of the riser and the block, and having a configuration tomatch that of the block, whereby to aid in holding the block in positionon the riser. 9. In connection means, a hollow riser, a Hit out portionin one side of the riser at its top, an outlet block loosely inserted inthe art out portion. a removable cap fitting over the end of the riserand embracing said block, terminal posts on the block to which cable canbe connected. outlet means in the block and the cap for lead out wires,sealing com pound filling the riser to a level below the block. thelower edge of the cap extending well below said cut out portion of theriser. 10. In connection means. a hollow riser. a cut out portion in oneside of the riser at its top. an outlet block loosely inserted in thecut outportion and extending only part way across the riser, a removablecap fitting over the end of the riser and embracing said block, terminalposts on the block, and outlet means in the block and thecap for leadout wires. 11. An outlet block of insulating material for use withconduit risers, comprising, a generally rectangular face portion, ashelf extending away from, and connected to, the lower part of the faceportion, a toe offset From the face portion and extending from,

tlld substantially parallel to, the face portion and to one side of saidshelf, and a rib spaced from the shelf and extending from the faceportion substantially parallel to the and to one side of said shelf, anda rib spaced from the shelf and extending from the face portionsubstantially parallel to the said shelf, said toe and said rib beingpositioned at opposite sides of said shelf.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature. u

HERMON P. OBER.

